Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Established in 1804, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the oldest member-based business organisation in Africa. It is mandated to serve, enable and lead business. This is achieved through a multitude of services, networking opportunities as well as robust advocacy on behalf of business.

The Chamber represents business of all sizes and virtually all sectors. Our members count on us to be their eyes and ears in the Western Cape as well as on a national level, and we work tirelessly to ensure that we serve our members’ needs.

As a key player in the business landscape, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry truly believes that we are Where Opportunity Meets.

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According to reports, a draft regulation has been drawn up for the state of emergency of South Africa. This is the first regulation in 20 years, following the July 25, 1985 by former President PW Botha. THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE WERE ASKED: – What would the economic impact be on the country if a state of emergency is declared? – Why do you think President Zuma has drafted regulations for a state of emergency after 20 years? Does this say anything about South Africa’s current economic standing? – What could be the financial impact if a state of emergency is declared? Can you provide an estimate based on strikes, etc. OUR ANSWERS: Firstly, we do not think a state of emergency would relate to economic issues but rather issues of power. At present there is no sign of any problems which could justification a state of emergency so we must ask why the regulations are being drafted and what problems are being anticipated? There is no sign of hostility from outside the country so we can only assume the government is concerned about internal problems, like possible consequences flowing from this month’s ANC elective conference. President’s Zuma’s grip on […]

The Chamber has welcomed the decision by the Port Regulator to grant an average port tariff increase of only 2.5% instead of the 8.45% requested by the National Ports Authority. South African port tariffs are very high by international standards and, ideally, they should be reduced, but a small increase is a step in the right direction. Port tariffs add to the cost of exports and everything possible should be done to help exporters ensure that they remain globally competitive. We have recently seen the Airport Company reduce tariffs substantially and one of the results is the growth in air traffic, particularly from overseas. Lower port charges could mean more business. An example is the fact that very few ships were called in to Cape Town to take on bunkers because they said the port tariffs were too high. This is an example where a reduced tariff could mean more business for the port. Another one is that lower port costs could encourage more cruise liners with their thousands of tourists to visit the city. The new tariffs will become effective from April next year to March 31 to March 31, 2019. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape Chamber

The criminals have won. They have successfully sabotaged and killed a vital train commuter service that provided a transport lifeline for the communities most in need of affordable public transport. The Chamber was commenting on the decision by Metrorail to suspend the service on the Chris Hani – Kapteinsklip and Bishop Lavis lines because copper theft and vandalism have made it impossible to continue operating. The time has come to get tough and ban the export of scrap copper and to treat metal theft as a serious crime. If we don’t take drastic steps like this, we will lose the whole commuter rail service. The blame for the poor security could be shared around but ultimately we are dealing with a major crime and that is the responsibility of the police. We must ask where are the police? What are they doing while the infrastructure of the country is being wrecked and stolen? Attempts to tighten legislation on the trade in stolen copper had clearly not worked and now drastic action was called for. The big problem is that the crime had been seen in terms of the value of the stolen material and not taken seriously. Instead it should […]

The Cape Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Small Business Expo on the 10th May 2018. The Place To Be Last year we saw a four-fold increase in attendance at what has become an essential fixture on the small business calendar. Although geared to small business, it also attracts the corporates who want to do business with new vendors. It attracts more than just the curious – a lot of business gets done at the expo. It lives up to the Chamber’s motto: “Where Opportunity MeetsTM” Don’t Miss Your Spot The Expo takes place on Thursday 10 May 2018, and although we have quadrupled the size of the exhibition, we have managed to keep the exhibition rates to a minimum. We expect all stands to be sold out – so book early to avoid disappointment. Ideally located within easy reach from the N2, the River Club provides convenient access and secure free parking. You Will Meet Opportunity This is an ideal opportunity to connect with existing and potential clients in a forum that also allows for the sharing of valuable information and networking with a wide array of businesses geared to small business, various business institutions and government bodies. It is […]

The City Council’s offer to accept responsibility for Cape Town’s Commuter rail service is to be welcomed but it is a huge challenge and the City does not yet have the skills in place to manage the system. It has been clear for some time that Metrorail is not winning and the service is declining, so the City had no option but to step in. The City has wisely decided that any takeover, if approved at national level, would have to take place in stages. The first stage should be to stop the vandalism and the copper theft and this is something the City is well equipped to do. Its Copperheads anti-metal theft unit has performed well and has a good understanding of the problem. I see no reason why the Metro Police, working with the Copperheads, cannot arrest the ongoing destruction of trainset, the signals system and other infrastructure. It’s obvious to any observer that the trains are not well looked after or properly guarded at night and at weekends. The proof is in the ugly graffiti that defaces the coaches. This vandalism can only be done in daylight or under lights so it should be easy to spot the […]

For too long the farmers of the country have been the invisible victims of crime and the Chamber supports their bid to bring their desperate plight to the attention of the public and the authorities. Farmers are among the most productive members of the community but they live in isolated homes and are vulnerable. We should do everything possible to deal with this scourge of violence and robbery. Agriculture is a vital part of the economy, particularly in the Western Cape, and farmers need better protection and support. The murders we read about are not isolated events but seem to be part of a growing trend of violent crime. Farming is a labour intensive industry and many workers and their families also suffer. They are all vulnerable and if farming operations are disrupted they can lose their jobs. A single murder has far-reaching effects both in terms of human suffering and in terms of the economic damage it does to many lives. Janine Myburgh President of the Chamber

Nearly 49% of businesses in Cape Town say the drought and the water crisis has now become a threat to their survival, according to a survey of members conducted by the Cape Chamber. The survey also found that the crises has caused 23% of responding firms to postpone or halt new investments in their businesses. It is clear that we have a major crisis on our hands and it is time to slash the red tape and take emergency measures. Unless we do so without delay we will suffer long-term damage to the economy and the reputation of the City. When South Africa had an AIDS crisis it was treated as an emergency, the rules were changed and this enabled the country to get on top of the epidemic. We have to use the same approach now. Normal bureaucratic procedures were not designed to deal with emergencies. The survey also asked businesses how they were dealing with the water crisis. Nearly 41 % said that they had reduced their water consumption by 50% or more and 26% said they had reduced consumption by 25%. Nearly 18% said they had reduced consumption by 10%. 65% of businesses said they had made changes […]

Thirteen Western Cape companies working in fields as different as the space industry, beauty products and recycling have been named as finalists in this years Exporter of the Year Competition. The competition, which is in its 27th year, is sponsored by the Export Credit Insurance Corporation. Once again the competition had produced an amazing variety of companies which were succeeding against all odds in very difficult trading conditions. Even more surprising is that more than a third of the entrants this year are companies run by women. Join us for an African experience as we recognise excellence in exporting at this gala event in the city. Not only will you be exposed to those setting the benchmark in exporting, but you will rub shoulders with the veritable who’s who of exporters competing in the following categories The finalists are, in alphabetical order: • All Women Recycling, a Muizenberg company which makes and sells a variety of gifts and gadgets made from plastic waste • CIT-Intermodal repairs shipping containers and converts them into offices, bedrooms and other products for accommodation and storage • Elim Spa Products makes and sells Elim Spa products • Environ Skin Care manufactures skin care products • […]

The latest cabinet reshuffle by President Zuma is bad for South Africa and bad for governance. This means we have now had three Ministers of Energy in a single year in a department that should be all about long-term planning. The only possible explanation is sinister. We have seen too many strange and irrational deals in the energy sector to believe anything else. The dramatic change has come at a time when Eskom is refusing to sign agreements with independent power producers and the Russian nuclear deal seems to be on again, despite its rejection by the courts and the country’s energy experts. President Putin of Russia clearly has more influence on President Zuma than the respectable old guard of the ANC. The other cabinet changes are about the President’s bid to retain power and to avenge those who had supported calls for his resignation. They have nothing to do with governance. It’s interesting to see that the changes mean that strong Zuma supporters are being placed in key areas such as State Security, Home Affairs and Communications (where we also have the third minister in a year). Other key areas like the Treasury and the Police were already captured […]

Although we fully endorse the motive to protest corruption and state capture, we do not believe that COSATU will make an appreciable difference by taking to the streets of Cape Town with mass strike action. Although we support freedom of expression, we don’t believe that mass strike action is the best way to effect the real change we need. A strike is disruptive and damaging to an already fragile economy and puts further strain on the low rate of employment. It is the working class who suffer in a national strike as many may lose their day’s wages. Those are the people we should protect the most. Make no mistake – both state capture and corruption are akin to treason. It is eroding the very soul of our society, and stern and effective measures need to be introduced. As a country, we simply can’t keep operating like this – the world is losing respect for us, and to be quite frank, our self-respect has reached the level that we would never have imagined in 1994. However mass strike action is not the solution. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape Chamber

There is no justification for any increase in Port tariffs and it is time port users were compensated for decades of over-charging. The Chamber was commenting on proposals to increase port tariffs by 8.45% this year and 24.8 percent next year. Recent revelations and court cases have made it clear that Transnet has been involved in a great deal of wasteful spending and corruption and it’s time for cargo owners to “claw back” money spent on excessive port charges. A 2012/2013 study by the Port Regulator found that cargo dues paid by cargo owners were 874% above the global average. It’s true that these dues had been reduced but they are still above the global average. The Regulatory Manual for Tariffs say that “the key purpose of applying claw-backs is to ensure that the National Ports Authority or any other port user is fairly treated and is not subject to unfair losses or gains…” A further problem is that the NPA bases tariffs on how much revenue they need rather than the cost of operating the ports. Port users have every right to expect the revenue raised from the ports to be well and productively used. Unfortunately, this is not the case, […]

The impending strike by the minibus taxi industry will further exacerbate the transport problems that business is experiencing in the region. We are already dealing with a disrupted and inefficient rail service compounded by a traffic congestion problem so this could very well be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. The lack of clear leadership in the taxi industry needs to be addressed, and the Chamber urges all parties concerned to come to some provisional agreement in the short term, because business can ill afford another blow to operating efficiency in what is already very challenging economic times. The taxi industry is of the belief that vehicles have been impounded unfairly and if that is the case, this could be due to one of two factors: a large number of taxis being non-compliant in terms of safety and fines, or a system that is not impartial and fair. Road safety cannot be compromised and the rule of law needs to be upheld. If there is any potential for corruption in the system, this needs to be identified and eradicated. The taxi industry also needs to understand that the strike will force people to find other modes of transport, […]

The Atlantis Green Tech Special Economic Zone is one of the most imaginative development projects we have seen in a long time. Renewable energy, efficiency and clean technologies add up to a new growth industry with almost unlimited potential. What’s more the timing is right and we are well placed to take the lead in this country and in the African continent. It’s ironic that the increasing tariffs for Eskom electricity are making reliable energy more viable. Eskom may be turning away from renewable energy but this is giving distributed generation a boost and there are many customers for renewable energy and off-grid projects. In Africa the electricity infrastructure is poor and this makes own generation and off-grid projects extremely attractive to commerce, industry and domestic consumers. There are now doubts about the future of “the big power station, big grid model” and many African countries are going to find big advantage in by-passing the traditional and expensive model for electricity distribution and going straight to distributed generation and micro-grids. There is a new green and sustainable approach to energy and Atlantis and the Western Cape will be perfectly positioned to take full advantage of the change and it will […]

The County’s emergence from recession is both a relief and a source of encouragement for business. It is the sort of positive news we desperately need, but there is a great deal more that we need to do to ensure that the recovery is sustained. One of the reasons for the improvement was the bounce back by agriculture after the drought in the northern parts of the country, but this was still an uncertain area for the Western Cape which has experienced a very dry winter. In spite of this, the lifting of the dark cloud will encourage investment for further growth and this will send a good signal to the rating agencies. In the long term, however, the country has to deal with fundamental problems like the corruption which is draining South Africa of the resources needed for investment and job creation. We also have to deal with the gross mismanagement of the State owned enterprises and get our municipalities into shape. Structural reforms are urgently needed to make it easier for companies to employ the young and inexperienced and measures are needed to ensure stability in the labour market like the long-overdue use of secret ballots before a strike. […]

Cape Town businesses believe that the Metrorail’s problems are a threat to the viability of their businesses and that the stressful conditions on the trains are affecting the mental health and morale of 94 percent of their staff. This emerged from a survey of its members by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We knew the situation was bad but the survey reveals it is even worse than we thought. Conditions on Metrorail trains have become a nightmare and employers tell of staff arriving at work in tears and leaving for home with fear in their eyes. The survey revealed that 92 percent of businesses believe that the Metrorail situation is worse than it was a year ago with 71 percent saying it is much worse. About 20 percent of the respondents said they had even considered relocating their businesses to reduce commuting problems. Eighty percent of respondents said their employees had been robbed and assaulted on the trains during the past 12 months. The effect on industrial relations has been drastic with 77 percent of businesses reporting that their IR situation has worsened and 38 percent reporting that it is much worse. In response to the question “do you think […]

South African Airways has become a black hole that is simply consuming the resources of the country and it would be irresponsible to pour any more good money into the failing airline. This after we were notified on the government’s plan to sell its shares in Telkom to finance yet another bail-out for SAA. SAA has had more than enough time to turn its fortunes around and the chances of doing so now must be close to zero. We must remember that SAA’s main competitor, Comair, is doing well and making a profit in the same market. This tells us that SAA is badly managed and unable to compete, despite the resources that have been poured into it. SAA needs drastic surgery not bail-outs. The new danger is that SAA will start losing customers because people don’t like losers and that will further reduce its chances of any kind of recovery. To sell a good asset like Telkom’s shares and use the money to prop-up a bankrupt airline with a bleak future does not make any sense. The only thing that we can learn from this sorry story is that the government does not understand business and, for the sake of […]

The credibility of Women’s Day and government campaigns against the abuse of women have been undermined by two members of the cabinet. The actions of deputy Higher Education Minister, Mduduzi Manana, who has admitted assaulting two women outside a night club and his defence by ANC woman’s league president, Bathabile Dlamini, are a major setback for gender equality and fairness. Women’s right are so important, we have a public holiday to further the cause and celebrate the contributions women have made to the country and all this is betrayed by the scandalous behaviour of someone who, as a person responsible for the education of children, should set an example. The sheer hypocrisy and the obviously scripted apology was nauseating and did little to repair the damage. As Forrest Gump’s mother said in the movie ‘handsome is as handsome does’ and we have seen something decidedly unhandsome. The deputy minister has proved himself to be grotesque. Of greater concern was the fact that Minister Dlamini said there were other senior government leaders who were even worse. This tells us that the bullying and assaulting of women is tolerated at very high levels. She seems to be telling us that this assault was […]

We, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urge our members to support the peaceful march to Parliament to protest against corruption and state capture. We have reached a state where it has become necessary for all good men and women to stage a public demonstration of support for real democracy and the values enshrined in our Constitution. We cannot prescribe to our members but we believe they share our values and will support our actions. We have given our own staff permission to participate in the march. In addition, we have written to Federation of Unions of South Africa to assure them of our support for their role in the demonstration. It’s now necessary for both organised business and labour to stand together and say enough. The people of South Africa have been the victims of massive theft while the authorities have done little to bring the criminals to book. We hope the collaboration between organised business and labour will mark the beginning of a new co-operative approach to find lasting solutions to the country’s social and political problems. The country is crying out for new leadership and we will support every lawful and peaceful attempt to achieve this aim. […]

Be careful what you tell yourself – it could very well be true Like all humans, we eventually reduce every confusing element of our life down to two questions: Where did we come from and why are we here? According to David McRaney, the author of You can beat your brain, all groups and cultures ask these questions and existentially speaking, some find an answer while others are content to live their lives without an explanation. The emerging field of narrative psychology adds a third fundamental question: Why do you want to know the answer to these questions in the first place? Dan MacAdams (as quoted by McRaney) asserts that, when your attempts to put together a narrative fail you, that’s when you free-fall into malaise and stagnation. Without a narrative, our wants, needs and goals fall apart and that is why people often lose themselves after retirement. Storytelling appears in every human culture, and according to MacAdams ‘to make meaning is to create dynamic narrative that render sensible and coherent the seeming chaos of human existence.” There has to be a reason for you to get up. This may be as base as slogging through another day, but meaning […]

South Africans do not yet realise the true cost of corruption and the long-term damage it has already done to the country. Corruption leads to bad decisions as we have already seen with PRASA and its purchases of locomotives totally unsuitable for local conditions. When decisions are taken on the basis of the kick-backs on offer we end up paying too much for unsuitable goods or services. We end up with inferior equipment that costs more than the quality products that would have done a better job The effect of the bad decisions have accumulated and that is one of the main reasons for the breakdown in service delivery. The Gupta leaks have given us a frightening picture of the way procurement decisions have been made and the many billions of rands lost through over-payment. Now we must deal with the enablers and those who covered up corruption. Fortunately there were enough honest people who were now taking great personal risks to leak information to the public. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude and at the same time we must encourage more people to come forward with more information. The balance was starting to tip in favour of […]

ABOUT CAPE CHAMBER

Established in 1804, the Cape Chamber of Commerce is the oldest member-based organisation in Africa. The Chamber has remained contemporary and relevant with a wide range of services, including information, training, networking, trade facilitation and robust advocacy on behalf of our members. We are the voice of business.